Are Social Media Influencers Affecting Women?
Social media has turned into everyone’s highlight reels. At one point in time, people posted their lunches, their outfits of the day, throwbacks, and life as it was happening in the present moment.
Now, it seems like everyone has these perfectly curated and crafted photos, videos, reels, and feeds. It’s hard to know what’s real versus what’s fake. A lot of people take millions of photos to find that one perfect shot. And it doesn’t just stop there. A lot of the time, the photos and videos that make it to someone’s social media are heavily edited in many different ways.
Social media is a place to feel connected to family, friends, and like-minded individuals. If you’re not careful, it can cause more problems to your mental health than you may realize.
Let’s find out more about how social media influencers are affecting women.
The Comparison Game
Since everyone posts their highlight reels on social media, even if you’re fully aware that some form of editing can be done, it is easier said than done to not play the comparison game.
Social media can cause women especially to compare different areas of their life like their family, friends, homes, relationships, children, pets, outfits, and even their own body image. This comparison game can lead to feeling bad about oneself own appearance and life, even if everything was perfectly fine before scrolling on social media.
Fear of Missing Out
Fear of missing out or FOMO can also be a negative impact of social media. Influencers tend to post about their lives 24/7, but some of the posts may not be the most realistic for a normal person trying to make it through their day.
It can be a lot to see someone posting expensive outfits, attending important events, going out to eat, or traveling all of the time. These types of posts have a way of making someone feel like they’re missing out. They may even start to question themselves and wonder if they’re in the right stage of their own life.
Mental Health Issues
Social media may be a great tool to use to connect with others in a different way. It’s not a true replacement for making real-life connections and building upon them in the real world. Following along with social media influencers may be fun to get inspiration and ideas for outfits, meals, or workouts. You don’t want to spend hours scrolling, liking, and watching because that’s time that you can’t get back with your loved ones.
By isolating yourself and not living in the present moment, you’re putting yourself at a greater risk for developing mental health issues like anxiety and/or depression.
Signs that Social Media May Be Impacting Your Life
As with all things in life, social media can be both a blessing and a curse. These are some of the signs to look out for if social media may be hurting you and your life.
- Comparing yourself to the people you follow or come across on social media
- Lack of concentration at work or school
- Seeking attention through likes, shares, or comments on social media
- Spending more time on social media than hanging out with your real family and friends
- Struggling with sleeping problems
Next Steps
If social media is having a negative impact on you and your life, you’re not alone. While there are lifestyle changes that you can make on your own end to help reduce some of the effects that social media has on you, there isn’t a true replacement for therapy. Working with a mental health professional can help you get to the root cause of how you’re feeling and help you work through and overcome those thoughts and emotions. Reach out today to set up a consultation to learn more about anxiety therapy.